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Florida bear hunt decision looms: See where black bears may be harvested
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Florida black bearsAdd Topic
USA TODAY
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is expected to make a final decision on a Florida black bear hunting season for 2025 in its meeting May 21-22 in Ocala.
This decision follows a public review period and a draft proposal that outlines a possible harvest quota of 187 bears across 31 counties for three weeks in December. The wildlife conservation commission initially sought public input in March through a virtual public meeting.
The commissioners say they believe reopening black bear hunting will regulate the population and manage growth rates. It would be the first black bear hunting season since 2015.
Florida’s last black bear hunt was in 2015, the first in 20 years, and was marred by controversy. There were reports of unlicensed hunters. Originally intended to be a regulated seven-day event, the hunt was closed after just two days due to the rapid harvest of bears. Violations of the hunt’s rules occurred, including the killing of cubs and pregnant females. Additionally, some hunters were caught using bait, which had been prohibited.https://e.infogram.com/_/zUFzpMSRXE3KfsHI01OB?src=embed#async_embed
The Florida black bear population
Black bears are the only species of bear found in Florida. The best scientifically valid population estimates are from 2015 and indicate there are about 4,050 bears statewide.https://e.infogram.com/_/cTy2JPN5lIAWcNdp5xri?src=embed#async_embed
Where is bear hunting being proposed in Florida?
The plan is to issue 187 permits to harvest black bears from 31 counties divided into four bear management areas. The hunting zones would exist in areas where the bear population exceeds 200.
Sixty-eight bears will be permitted for harvest from 11 eastern panhandle counties, including Franklin, Leon and Wakulla; 18 bears from 12 Central Florida counties; 46 from five North Florida counties; and 55 from Lee, Collier and Hendry counties.https://e.infogram.com/_/cjpAv4ytJRn73PJtzHna?src=embed#async_embed
When will the Florida bear hunting season take place?
The wildlife commission is considering a hunt from Dec. 6 to Dec. 28.https://e.infogram.com/_/LtBw2mKwAajQ8D3lkXIf?src=embed#async_embed
Black bears killed each year in Florida
Number of bears killed statewide by either road, management, illegal, harvest, or other causes of death from 2005 to 2024, totaling 5,967 bears.https://e.infogram.com/_/ifDuKirFFkxkGxTxY499?src=embed#async_embed
What to know about the bear hunt proposal
There will be a $5 application fee to enter a random drawing for a permit. If drawn, permits will cost $100 for Florida residents and $300 for out-of-state hunters.
One bear is allowed per permit, and the wildlife commission must be notified within 24 hours of a bear being taken. A tag must be attached to the bear’s body before it can be removed.
Hunters may use all archery equipment, muzzle-loading guns, shotguns, centerfire, rifles, revolvers and pistols and pre-charge pneumatic air guns to harvest bears.
The wildlife commission says black bears are not generally aggressive, but like any wild animal, they can become defensive if they feel threatened. If anyone encounters an injured, orphaned or dead bear, or observes someone harming bears or feeding them, call the commission’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website to read the entire draft proposal for the black bear hunt.
TWRA rescues, releases 3 orphaned bear cubs
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE TWRA:
17 hours ago
SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. — On the morning of May 18, 2025, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) responded to a report of a sow black bear that had been struck and killed by a vehicle along U.S. Highway 19E in Sullivan County. The response led to the successful rescue and release of three orphaned bear cubs into a remote area of the Cumberland Mountains.
TWRA received the initial call around 7:00 a.m. and had personnel enroute within 30 minutes. By 8:30 a.m., officers were on the scene, but no cubs were immediately visible. Additional staff arrived with trapping equipment, and the deceased female bear was removed from the accident site. Three traps were then set in the area.
At approximately 11:40 a.m., a local resident provided a video showing three bear cubs on the same side of the road as the traps and the sow. This visual confirmation verified that the animals were indeed cubs and not older yearlings.
The first cub was safely captured shortly after the video was shared, and by 4:00 p.m., all three cubs had been secured.
They were then transported to a Wildlife Management Area for evaluation and temporary care.
The cubs—two females and one male—appear to be in good health and are considered large for their age, each weighing around 12 pounds. They are able to climb trees, are wary of humans, and have been eating well. “While this is not an ideal situation, our goal is to give these cubs the best possible chance at survival,” said TWRA Bear Program Manager Dan Gibbs. “We have released them in a low-density bear area with minimal human presence to maximize their chances of adapting and thriving in the wild.”
TWRA is continuing to coordinate with Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR); however, ABR is currently unable to accept cubs at this time.
The agency urges drivers to stay alert in areas with frequent wildlife crossings, especially in spring and summer when bear activity increases, and to follow BearWise practices to prevent bears from crossing roads in search of human food.
For more news across the state, click here.
‘Stop the Hunt’: Protesters push back against proposed Florida black bear hunt
Protesters in Fort Myers call for conservation and say people – not bears – are the problem
Photo by: Austin Schargorodski
Posted 3:14 PM, May 17, 2025
FORT MYERS, Fla — Protesters were out in Fort Myers on Saturday, standing against Florida’s proposed black bear hunt. Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski was on the corner of US-41 and Daniels to hear firsthand why they’re speaking out.
Watch to hear what protesters said:
Protesters stood on the sidewalk with signs like “Stop the Hunt” and “I Am Not Your Trophy.” They said they’re calling for the protection of black bears instead of a renewed hunt.
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Some there argued that people are the real intruders — not bears. “We are breaking into their habitat. They are not intruders – we are. So it’s kind of cruel, selfish and hypocritical to go hey, now let’s start shooting bears,” one protester said.
Protesters also suggested proper education and bear-proof trashcans as solutions to prevent conflicts.
“Implement that in neighborhoods and then you don’t have the bear conflicts. Bears don’t come in unless they’re smelling food,” another protester said.
However, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the black bear population has rebounded from just a few hundred in the 70’s to more than 4,000 today.
They say without management, bears could encroach on neighborhoods – and a regulated hunt could help balance growth with available habitat. Florida banned bear hunting in 1994 – but reopened it briefly in 2015. No hunts have been held since.
Now, FWC will present these proposals and public feedback at their May 21st and 22nd meeting.
Ohio’s Wild Turkey Hunting Season Results Through May 11
Information provided
COLUMBUS – Wild turkey hunters across Ohio have checked 14,355 birds in the spring 2025 season as of Sunday, May 11, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
This year’s statewide total represents 23 days of hunting in the 83 counties that comprise the south zone, nine days of hunting in the northeast zone, and the 1,740 turkeys taken over the two-day youth hunting weekend, April 12-13.
Hunters checked an average of 13,128 turkeys by the corresponding date in the previous three seasons (2022 to 2024) and reported 14,377 birds at this point in 2024.
The 10 counties with the highest totals for wild turkey harvest so far in the 2025 spring season: Belmont (425), Monroe (422), Guernsey (393), Muskingum (377), Tuscarawas (366), Carroll (363), Columbiana (354), Meigs (348), Harrison (347), and Coshocton (344).
The Division of Wildlife has issued 51,822 spring turkey permits that are valid throughout the 2025 season. Ohio’s spring turkey hunting season in the 83 counties comprising the south zone is open until Sunday, May 18. Hunting in the northeast zone is open until Sunday, June 1. Statewide, turkey hunting is now permitted from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. The season bag limit is one bearded turkey. Find more information in Ohio’s 2024-25 hunting and trapping regulations booklet.
Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license in addition to a spring turkey permit, unless exempted. Successful hunters are required to game-check their turkey no later than 11:30 p.m. on the day of harvest. Game check, licenses, and permits are available on the HuntFish OH app, via the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System, or at a participating license agent. Game check can also be completed by phone at 1-877-TAG-IT-OH (877-824-4864).
Find more information about Ohio’s wild turkey hunting at wildohio.gov.
FINAL RESULTS
A list of all wild turkeys checked by hunters in each county through Sunday, May 11, 2025, is shown below. Results include 23 days of hunting in the south zone, nine days in the northeast zone, and the two-day youth season. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2025, and the three-year average (2022 to 2024) through the corresponding dates is in parentheses. The three-year average represents 16 days of hunting in the northeast zone compared to nine in the 2025 total because of a later start date this year. The numbers below are raw data and subject to change.
Adams: 331 (312); Allen: 77 (65); Ashland: 156 (153); Ashtabula: 333 (341); Athens: 223 (256); Auglaize: 45 (39); Belmont: 425 (355); Brown: 295 (261); Butler: 150 (173); Carroll: 363 (292); Champaign: 61 (72); Clark: 21 (22); Clermont: 244 (233); Clinton: 69 (58); Columbiana: 354 (316); Coshocton: 344 (306); Crawford: 47 (50); Cuyahoga: 7 (8); Darke: 58 (60); Defiance: 209 (163); Delaware: 68 (76); Erie: 39 (34); Fairfield: 65 (86); Fayette: 10 (8); Franklin: 23 (14); Fulton: 147 (113); Gallia: 312 (347); Geauga: 138 (178); Greene: 30 (24); Guernsey: 393 (327); Hamilton: 71 (96); Hancock: 56 (35); Hardin: 82 (85); Harrison: 347 (312); Henry: 60 (51); Highland: 312 (275); Hocking: 176 (200); Holmes: 204 (182); Huron: 87 (75); Jackson: 271 (216); Jefferson: 329 (319); Knox: 231 (199); Lake: 46 (43); Lawrence: 222 (189); Licking: 239 (236); Logan: 108 (116); Lorain: 122 (97); Lucas: 73 (57); Madison: 4 (6); Mahoning: 224 (161); Marion: 52 (32); Medina: 98 (94); Meigs: 348 (319); Mercer: 31 (22); Miami: 40 (28); Monroe: 422 (352); Montgomery: 21 (29); Morgan: 222 (215); Morrow: 123 (121); Muskingum: 377 (351); Noble: 299 (292); Ottawa: 1 (1); Paulding: 77 (65); Perry: 208 (232); Pickaway: 16 (15); Pike: 189 (180); Portage: 283 (183); Preble: 107 (115); Putnam: 55 (32); Richland: 196 (190); Ross: 238 (238); Sandusky: 45 (25); Scioto: 297 (212); Seneca: 122 (103); Shelby: 46 (34); Stark: 271 (225); Summit: 60 (46); Trumbull: 269 (273); Tuscarawas: 366 (369); Union: 41 (45); Van Wert: 14 (17); Vinton: 231 (192); Warren: 72 (72); Washington: 324 (319); Wayne: 104 (91); Williams: 244 (191); Wood: 31 (23); Wyandot: 114 (93).
2025 total: 14,355
3-year average total: 13,128
Group pushes for bear hunt decision postponement
- Reporter: Elizabeth Biro
- May 12, 2025 Updated May 12, 2025
- https://www.winknews.com/news/state/group-pushes-for-bear-hunt-decision-postponement/article_83c1bb7b-2b72-41cb-9d7a-68a2bf469c6a.html
In the wake of the fatal bear attack in Jerome, the conversation around a potential bear hunt is heating up.
In the wake of the fatal bear attack in Jerome, the conversation around a potential bear hunt is heating up. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is expected to discuss options for a 2025 bear hunt at their upcoming meeting scheduled for May 21.
This topic has been on the agenda even before the recent attack in Jerome, and it remains a divisive issue. Florida has not held a regulated bear hunt since 2015, and prior to that, not since 1994. The recent attack led one group called “Bear Defenders” to urge the commission to delay making any decisions until emotions, like fear and revenge, have cooled.
Item 5 on FWC’s agenda for May 21 is titled “Proposed Rules – Options for a Black Bear Hunt.”
Staff will present “Amendments to hunting rules to implement a sustainable and repeatable hunt structure,” to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioners.
“The goal of the very highly educated and well qualified scientists at FWC is not, is not to kill all the bears, which some people would have you believe, but it’s to manage the growth of the population so that it can be sustained,” said Mike Elfenbein.
Elfenbein is the Executive Director of the Cypress Chapter of the Izaac Walton League of America. It’s a conservation group which fights to protect our air, water and wildlife and is rooted in outdoor traditions like hunting, fishing, canoeing and camping — according to its website.
“As a hunter, as a sportsman, as a conservationist, I am always in support of scientifically driven conservation tools in the state of Florida,” Elfenbein added, “and fishing and hunting are one of those tools for conservation of wildlife.”
In an FAQ, FWC says it wants to slow population growth to keep the numbers “In balance with suitable habitat,” adding, “At some point bears will have to start living in more marginal habitats, like neighborhoods.”
Elfenbein wanted to draw attention to this fact, of the 40 states with black bear populations, 34 have regulated bear hunting seasons. Of the 6 that don’t, Florida has the most bears. FWC estimates there are just over four thousand in the state.
“They don’t have a legitimate count of how many bears are in this state, and they won’t until 2029 2030. Postpone the hunt. Stop it right now. Don’t let hunters go out there and shoot and kill bears for trophies right after somebody was killed,” said Tom Mooney.
Mooney is part of a group called Bear Defenders. At the very least, they want the proposal and any decision to be postponed to when emotions like revenge and fear aren’t as high. Their ideal goal, Mooney says they want no hunt.
“2012, the bears were on the endangered species list. 2015, they killed hundreds of bears,” With tears welling in his eyes, Mooney said, “That’s not the state of Florida. Protect and preserve conservation. This isn’t conservation. It’s killing”
Mooney said he fears extinction. “I am not your trophy,” reads Mooney’s sign with a bear on it. He plans to hold it up at one of the multiple Bear Defender Protests ahead of FWC’s meeting.
Mooney and Elfenbein are motivated by the same thing, the environment. But are on opposite sides of this proposed bear hunt.
“Love the state. I love the environment, if it wasn’t for the everglades and being able to photograph bears, panthers, bobcats. What next? What next? What happens when they’re gone? If the state of Florida continues to build, 20 years from now, there won’t be any bears anyways,” said Mooney.
“Wild Florida is what, what motivates me. I spend every day of my life fighting for Florida, for our everglades, for water quality, for conservation of the landscape, and to ensure that we leave Florida better for my children and your children,” said Elfenbein.
The exact proposal — or the options that will be presented by staff aren’t public record. FWC told WINK news presentation documents will be posted when available.
Commissioners will vote on May 21 whether or not to move forward with a final vote at the August commission meeting.
A majority of Floridians against proposed bear hunt? What we know
Leesburg Daily Commercial
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- Florida is considering a black bear hunt to manage its growing bear population, a proposal opposed by 81% of Floridians according to a Remington Research Group poll.
- Humane World for Animals opposes the hunt, citing concerns about hunting methods like hounding and baiting, and the potential for slow, painful deaths from bow and arrow hunting.
- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is holding public meetings to discuss the proposed hunt, with the next meeting scheduled for May 21, 2025, in Ocala.
- While the FWC reports increased bear-related calls and significantly grown bear populations, opponents argue the hunt is unnecessary and advocate for better education and bear-proofing measures.
- The first recorded fatal black bear attack in Florida occurred on May 5, 2025, further intensifying the debate surrounding bear management in the state.
Eighty-one percent of Floridians oppose a hunt to manage the state’s black bear population, according to Kate MacFall, Florida director of Humane World for Animals.
The executive leader at the organization formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States is citing a poll by the Remington Research Group.
Speaking out on behalf of Humane World for Animals against the proposed regulated bear hunt in Florida, MacFall openly disagrees with wildlife officials and politicians proposing a three-week hunt later this year, ostensibly to remove 187 bears from an estimated population of 4,000.
The Humane World state director says the numbers are outdated, and no definitive assessment has been made since a “stand your ground” bill against bears was approved in the Florida Legislature last month.
HB 87: Taking of Bears authorizes taking the lives of Florida’s black bears without a permit or authorization and provides an exemption from penalties.
Can you ethically hunt bears?
A draft proposal for a three-week hunt shared with the Naples Daily News and The News-Press by the nonprofit Bear Warriors United has the state possibly allowing hunters to feed bears, then kill them near the hand-outs, use packs of dogs, and skip check stations.
“One of the most alarming aspects of this proposed hunt that the FWC is considering is the use of hounding and baiting,” the Humane World Florida director told the Daily Commercial about using dogs to hunt bears, and meat scraps or fish to lure bears to a specific location for hunting.
The FWC may allow trophy hunters to field dress bears, she added, which can lead to misidentifying the sex or hiding the fact that a bear was a lactating mother.
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Hunters, MacFall added, could also under-report the weight of a cub to avoid penalties.
According to the Remington poll, 89% of people surveyed oppose hounding, and 86% oppose baiting and hounding when packs of dogs chase the bear up a tree.
MacFall also expressed concern about bows and arrows, which can leave bears wounded to die slowly and painfully. “A study of modern archery equipment found that about 30% of deer shot by archers die slowly rather than from quick, clean kills,” MacFall said. “It’s extremely cruel.”
How will the FWC arrive at its decision?
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission held its first public meeting regarding a proposed regulated bear hunt in December, a public meeting in March, and will host another round of talks next week in Ocala. The agency expects to reach a decision this summer.
According to the FWC, “Commissioners directed staff to develop a range of options for the commission’s consideration for black bear hunting in 2025. Following direction from the commission, staff will return to a future commission meeting for a final hearing.”
The next public FWC meeting will convene the morning of Monday, May 21, in Ocala, starting at 8:30 a.m.. The meeting will encompass two days of information sessions and public comments on several matters. The bear hunt issue might be pushed to May 22 or postponed, the agenda says. Information can be found at myfwc.com.
According to a story in the Tallahassee Democrat, a big contingent of recent public pressure to approve the hunt is coming from the state’s Panhandle. One Florida sheriff has even taken to Facebook to plead with the FWC for help, the paper said.
Franklin County Sheriff A.J. “Tony” Smith said the once reclusive animals now boldly roam the streets of Carrabelle, have broken into homes in St. Teresa, and have startled a Lanark Village resident who found one snoozing on her porch.
Why is the FWC considering another bear hunt?
The FWC reported that bear populations across the state have grown to around 2.5 to 5 times above the minimum population objectives. (Minimum population objectives, the FWC explained at the meeting, are the minimum population needed to maintain the long-term genetic health of the population.)
Supporters of the hunt argue it is a necessary population control measure and a valuable tool for wildlife management.
“FWC should manage the Florida Black Bear resource for the benefit of hunters based on science, not emotions, especially when those emotions come from sections of the public that clearly do not understand hunting nor the science behind wildlife management,” says Bear Hunting Magazine.
At its December 2024 commission meeting, the FWC’s Bear Management Program gave commissioners a five-year update on implementing the 2019 Florida Black Bear Management Plan, highlighting recent bear management and research efforts.
Florida currently has more than 17,000 square miles of suitable bear habitat, of which 46% is protected. This is adequate habitat for the current and the larger predicted future populations, the FWC reported.
But statewide bear-related calls are at an all-time high, up 42% from 2016. The calls comprise both positive (bear sightings) and negative (complaints), the proportion of which has remained relatively consistent through the years (average 40% of calls are complaints).
$2.1 million has been allocated to local governments to provide bear-proofing trash cans along with “bear aware” information and education.
MacFall shared an online fact sheet about the proposed bear hunt from Humane World, which can be found at its website.
First human dies from Florida bear attack
FWC confirmed Friday, May 9, that the death of an elderly man in Collier County on May 5 was the first fatal Florida black bear attack in state history. Investigators said the remains of 89-year-old Robert Markel were found about 100 yards from his home in rural Jerome.
A post-mortem exam of the bears found Markel’s partial remains in the body of a 263-pound male. Tests confirmed that bear’s DNA was also found on Markel, in his home and on the body of a family dog.
According to the FWC, dogs have been involved in over half of the incidents of people being injured by bears in Florida. When walking dogs, keep them close to you — ideally on a non-retractable leash — and be aware of your surroundings, which is good practice for preventing conflicts with any wildlife.
When asked her thoughts about the first bear-on-human fatality, Humane World’s MacFall expressed sadness and conveyed condolences to the victim’s family.
She maintained that the bear hunt is not the solution and recommends reading the FWC’s “BearWise” page on the agency’s website, instead.
“The FWC bear management team is excellent,” MacFall asserted. “Their tips and the information on their website can help you avoid conflicts, manage trash and other bear attractants.”
Read Daily Commercial’s tips on how to manage and avoid bear encounters at dailycommercial.com.
What happened during the last state bear hunt?
A public outcry over the speed at which kills took place and how bears were baited called into question an FWC-regulated bear hunt in 2015.
In the 2015 Florida black bear hunt, a total of 298 bears were killed the first day. The hunt was halted after the second day when the harvest approached the quota of 320 bears. In all, 139 bears were killed in central Florida, the highest number in the count.
“To wildlife professionals and hunters, these success rates indicated that the bear population was significantly higher than had been estimated prior to the hunt,” the editorial in Bear Hunt Magazine says.
“To non-hunters, it indicated that we had just decimated the bear population. The latter narrative was ultimately used to bring the Florida Black Bear hunt to a screeching halt, to be revisited 10 years later.”
So, is a bear hunt necessary?
The group Bear Defenders calls the proposed hunt “a lethal response” that is overwhelmingly disproportionate to the concerns expressed by residents and officials regarding property damage and attacks on humans.
Florida black bear numbers continue to be a problem despite the self-defense legislation, says Marion County Commission Vice Chairman Carl Zalak, whose district encompasses a portion of the Ocala National Forest.
“My concern is for drivers on State Road 40 who risk hitting black bears crossing the road,” Zalak told the Daily Commercial earlier this year, adding that the two-lane highway, which cuts east-west through federal and state forest lands in Marion, Lake and Volusia counties, poses a danger to both bears and humans.
MacFall, of Humane World, says the bear hunt will not ensure more safety for bears and humans. The problem, she said, involves a lack of awareness and education, and misinformation.
“It has more to do with eliminating attractants, not leaving trash in unsecured bins, and not feeding animals outside attracts bears,” MacFall said. “Decimating the Florida black bear population will not solve the problem of attracting bears to residences.
“Vilifying one of our most precious animals, very specific to Florida, is not the right path.”
How to learn about bear encounters
To understand the extent of problems experienced by human encounters with bears, the FWC offers an interactive map that shows incidents involving bear complaints, encounters and illegal kills. It can be found at myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/bear/living/distribution-map.
The map shows a high concentration of bear encounters in Marion County and northern Lake County, especially around Eustis and Umatilla. Sumter County also shows bear incidents to a lesser degree in the Wildwood and Coleman areas.
The 31 counties where bears may be hunted
- North: Baker, Columbia, Hamilton, Suwannee, Union
- Eastern Panhandle: Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Leon, Wakulla, Washington
- Central: Alachua, Bradford, Clay, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Putnam, Seminole, Sumter, St. Johns, Volusia
- South: Collier, Hendry, Lee
“We’re hoping that they will change their minds,” MacFall said of the FWC bear hunt proponents. “The last one was an absolute disaster for bears, for Florida, and a PR disaster.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission May neeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at the College of Central Florida, The Ewers Century Center, Klein Conference Center (Building 40), 3001 SW College Road, Ocala.
Protest against proposed FWC bear hunt, agency to discuss hunt this month
FWC will meet on May 21st & May 22nd to discuss the proposed hunt
By: Maya Sargent
Posted 3:51 PM, May 17, 2025
I joined the WTXL team as the Northwest Tallahassee neighborhood reporter in September 2023.
- Protestors outside the Capitol Saturday rallying against at FWC proposed bear hunt
- The FWC is proposing a bear hunt with strict rules and regulations that would take place in December
- Watch to hear from opponents and to find out more about the bear hunt.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Protestors outside the Capitol Saturday looking to stop a proposed Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission black bear hunt that would take place in December.
“It’s just going to be a slaughter of Florida’s wildlife,” said Leslie Carlisle, an advocate against the proposed FWC bear hunt. “One of the most majestic animals that we have in Florida, which is the black bear.”
The FWC does have a list of proposed rules and regulations for this proposed hunt.
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According to the FWC’s website, the agency wants to slow population growth to balance population numbers and suitable habitats.
“There is a finite amount of suitable bear habitat, so if bear populations continue to grow unchecked, at some point bears will have to start living in more marginal habitats, like neighborhoods.”
Their website also said “black bear populations have not reached levels where self-regulation has been exhibited anywhere in North America.”
The last black bear hunt in the state was in 2015.
Yet opponents of the hunt said, the hunt feels unfair.
“I’m just very, very upset that they’re proposing a slaughter of the bear when it’s their state too,” said Carlisle.
The FWC will discuss the bear hunt at their next commission meeting beginning May 21st in Ocala.
Protestors said they will be attending to voice their outrage.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Weary Mamma Bear Lets Wildlife Officials Free Tangled Cub
When a bear cub got itself tangled in a soccer net, wildlife officials and biologists braved mamma bear’s wrath to free her cub.
Paige Austin,Patch Staff
Posted Fri, May 16, 2025 at 10:59 pm PT|Updated Fri, May 16, 2025 at 11:07 pm PT
LAKE TAHOE, CA — Some California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers and biologists braved the nervous wrath of a mamma black bear Thursday to rescue her cub after it became entangled in a soccer net at a park in the Lake Tahoe area.
The drama unfolded early Thursday morning in the Northern California’s most popular mountain resort community.
The wildlife department received a call about a bear cub tangled in a soccer net at Kings Beach park.
“When our team arrived, they found the cub stuck—closely guarded by a very protective mama bear,” the agency wrote on Facebook.
Wildlife officials worked to keep the big bear calm, so that they could free her tangled cub.
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“With some careful teamwork to loosen the net and make sure the mama bear gave them safe space they needed to work, Wildlife Officers and Biologists safely freed the cub in just over 5 minutes. The little one darted up a nearby tree, and after a quick reunion, both bears wandered peacefully back into the wild.”
The wildlife agency also credited partners at California State Park for helping to keep the bears calm.
The rescue drew immediate praise from resident across the Golden State.
“That is so cool,” Lucille M. Hurley wrote on Facebook. “No anesthesia needed just cool calm patient teamwork.”
“It’s all fun and games until someone gets caught in the soccer net. Thank you everyone who got involved to help this baby bear,” added Bella Danielle Ramsey. “I am sure the mom was stressed out as well but glad they’re back together and they’re both OK!!”
Exposing the Big Game 
